In this lesson, we will address the most common mathematical signs such as plus, minus, multiplication, division, and equals signs, but to get acquainted with all the mathematical signs in the computer table, please see the computer table signs reference in the section of braille tables.
There is also a simple way to find the dots representing any sign in the computer braille table. Choose the 8-dot Arabic Braille table from the screen reader settings. Then, open any text editor or even a writing box and enter the sign that you want to know its dots, then touch the braille display and recognize the dots of the sign that you entered.
### Mathematical signs
It is well known that in 6-dot braille, the mathematical signs (plus, minus, multiplication, and division) consist of two cells, a prefix, and a root. In 8-dot braille, each sign consists of one cell, which is the same dot in 6-dot braille, but with the removal of the prefix and the addition of the 8-dot to the sign. For example, the multiplication sign in 6-dot braille contains two cells consisting of the dots 256-56, while in 8-dot braille, it consists of one cell, which is the dots 2568, i.e., the same dots as the multiplication sign in 6-dot braille, but without a prefix and by adding the eighth dot.
Moreover, just as we add the eighth dot to the numbers, we can follow the same principle by adding the eighth dot to most mathematical signs. Very easy, isn’t it?
The following are the four signdots according to the 8-dot Arabic table:
Plus sign “+”
⢖
Dots 8 5 3 2
Minus sign “−“
⢤
Dots 8 6 3
Multiplication sign “x”
⢦
Dots 8 6 3 2
Division sign “÷”
⢲
Dots 8 6 5 2
It is common to type these signs without a space that separates them from what is before or after them, but in any case, these signs will appear to you on the braille display as in normal writing, if there is a space before or after them, you will notice that this space is on the display.
Examples:
2+3
⢃⢖⢉
7−1
⢛⢤⢁
4×6
⢙⢦⢋
10÷2
⢁⢚⢲⢃
Additional signs:
Sometimes the dash “-”is used for subtraction (instead of minus sign), the asterisk “*” can be used for multiplication, and the slash “/” for division.
The dash “-” in Arabic computer braille consists of the dots 36, the asterisk “*” consists of the dots 358, while the slash “/” sign of the dots 348. The following are the three signs and their form in Arabic computer braille:
Dash “-”
⠤
Asterisk “*”
⢔
Slash “/”
⢌
Examples:
4-3
⢙⠤⢉
3*4
⢉⢔⢙
15/3
⢁⢑⢌⢉
Comparison signs
The following is a study of the dots that represent comparison signs according to the 8-dot Arabic computer braille table:
Equals sign “=”
⣶
Dots 8 7 6 5 3 2
Greater than sign “>”
⢕
Dots 8 5 3 1
Less than sign “<”
⢪
Dots 8 6 4 2
Note: It is recognized to leave a space before and after the comparison sign, and the braille display will show what is in the regular/ normal text on the computer.
####Examples:
2+4 = 6
⢃⢖⢙⠀⣶⠀⢋
5 > 4
⢑⠀⢕⠀⢙
7 < 9
⢛⠀⢪⠀⢊